15 Mouth-Watering Recipes That Will Make Your 4th Of July Pop

Ingredients:
2 pounds ground beef (90% lean)
¼ pound softened butter
tbsp. salt
1 pkg. Hawaiian buns
4 tbsp. mayonnaise
1 head of iceberg lettuce, shredded
1 beefsteak tomato, sliced
1 red onion, sliced thin
Bread and butter
Pickles
8 slices American cheese

For the Homemade BBQ Sauce:
1 red onion, diced
red pepper, diced
2 tomatoes, chopped
Fresno chili, chopped
½ cup garlic, chopped
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 cup sriracha sauce
1 cup molasses
½ cup brown sugar
1 cup cider vinegar

Directions: In a sauce pan, sweat red onion, red pepper, chili, garlic, and tomato until translucent. Add tomato paste and caramelize. Add molasses, chili sauce and brown sugar. Caramelize some more. Add vinegar. Reduce until dry Transfer to blender and blend until smooth.

Plating the burgers: Mix beef and butter with salt and form into four patties. Mark on grill on both sides. Slather with BBQ sauce and continue to cook. Melt cheese on top. Don’t press the burger, as you don’t want juice to escape. Take a four roll cluster of buns and slice them in half. Slather bun with mayo. Place burger patty inside, top with lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles, cover with bun and serve.

Ingredients:
3 cups sugar
3/4 lb. butter
8 oz. cream cheese
6 LG eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 teaspoon rum extract
1 teaspoon butter extract
3 cups flour

Directions:
In mixing bowl mix butter, cream cheese & sugar together add eggs one at a time. Sift together flour and baking powder add to butter mixture. Mix for two minutes. Pour into a greased & floured loaf pan. Bake on 350° for 80 minutes.

Drunk whipped cream:
1 cup Heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon Brandy
4 tablespoons powdered sugar
Whip all ingredients together until texture is thick.

Serving:
Slice cake, top with whipped cream and add seasonal berries.

Ingredients:
4 brioche or Challah hot dog buns
4 eggs
2 T Dijon mustard
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 dash Chahula or Gunslinger hot sauce
Approximately 16 oz. neutral flavored Soy/Canola oil
9 ounces butter poached lobster meat, knuckles and claws only
3 slices of Bologna
1/4 lb. Unsalted butter and 3 T olive oil
1/4 cup the tiny white/yellow inner leaves of celery (garnish)
Salt Pepper

Directions:
1. Combine egg, mustard, lemon juice and hot sauce in a large bowl and blend completely using the stick blender.
2. Transfer to a regular blender. With blender running on low, very slowly drizzle oil in until the aioli is thick with a creamy mayonnaise-like consistency.
3. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Butter the buns and toast in a skillet until lightly golden.
5. Mix just enough aioli with the lobster to moisten.
6. Mound generously in the buns
7. Heat 1 T butter and 1 T olive oil in skillet and pan fry bologna until crisp. Remove from heat and cut in julienne.
8. Sprinkle lobster with fried bologna and inner leaves of celery.

Ingredients:
10 ears of sweet white corn, shucked and kernels cut from the cob
1 leek, bottom light green to yellow part only, rinsed clean and sliced into thin rings
½ yellow Spanish onion, julienned
2 tbs unsalted butter
2 oz white wine
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 c whole milk
¼ c heavy cream
Salt & pepper

Garnish-
Aleppo Pepper or Chile flake
Thinly sliced green onion tops

Directions:
Start by melting the butter over medium low heat in a 10-12 inch sauce pan. Add the leeks and onions and sweat just until translucent. Avoid any caramelization from forming in the pan as it will change the flavor and color of the final product. The white wine is added next and cooked until it has nearly all evaporated from the pan. Add the corn kernels, thyme and bay leaf to the pan and cook for another 8 minutes over medium low heat stirring every couple minutes to avoid any color and help even distribution of cooking. Once the corn has cooked, add the milk and heavy cream. Bring to a low simmer and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove from the stove and discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Strain the liquid from the corn and use that to puree a third of the corn onion leek mixture in a blender until velvety smooth. Reincorporate the pureed corn into the whole corn and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Garnish the creamed corn with a sprinkle of Aleppo pepper and thinly sliced green onion tops.

Ingredients:
2 globe eggplants, trimmed, cut into ½ inch-thick round
½ Cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon kosher salt
¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 scallions, white and green parts
2 garlic cloves, peeled

Directions:
1. Brush the eggplant rounds on both sides with the olive oil. Mix the salt and pepper together, and use the mixture to season the eggplant on both sides. Place the eggplant, overlapping as needed, in a very large glass or ceramic baking dish. Finely chop the scallions and garlic together to a chopping board. Transfer half of the scallion mixture to a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Rub the remaining scallion mixture all over the eggplants. Cover and let stand at room temperature for at least 2 hours and up to 4.
2. Prepare an outdoor grill for direct cooking over medium heat. Brush the grill grate clean. For a charcoal grill, let the coals burn until covered with white ash and you can hold your hand abouve the grill grates for 3 to 4 seconds. For a gas grill, preheat the grill on High, then adjust the heat to 400°F .
3. Place the eggplant on the grill. Keeping the grill lid closed as much as possible, cook until the undersides are golden brown, about 5 minutes. Turn the eggplant over and continue cooking, with the grill closed, until tender, 4 to 5 minutes more. Transfer the eggplant to a serving dish. Sprinkle with the reserved scallion mixture and serve hot.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:

Graham Cracker Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Cream Cheese Filling:
12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature

Sour Cream Topping:
1 cup sour cream
3 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1. For the graham cracker crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, confectioners' sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Press into a 9-inch pie pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool completely before filling. Leave the oven on.
3. For the cream cheese filling: Put the cream cheese, granulated sugar, vanilla and eggs in a medium bowl and beat with a hand mixer on medium speed until smooth. Pour the filling into the cooled crust and bake until set, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before topping; leave the oven on.
4. For the sour cream topping: Combine the sour cream, granulated sugar and vanilla in a small bowl and mix until smooth. Spread onto the pie and bake 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold, about 4 hours. Slice and serve.

Ingredients:
1.5 oz vodka
.5 oz peach schnapps
1 oz peach puree (see below)
1 oz sparkling wine
1 peach slice

Directions:
Shake the vodka, peach schnapps and peach puree and strain into a martini glass. Top with sparkling wine and garnish with a slice of peach.

Peach Puree
3 farmers market peaches (whatever tastes the best)
1 oz simple syrup
Peel the peaches, cut into chunks and puree in blender with simple syrup.

Simple Syrup
4 oz water
4 oz sugar
Heat water and sugar in sauce pot until melted. Cool and store in refrigerator.

Ingredients:
16 each Watermelon Balls
16 each Cantaloupe Balls
4 each Figs, quartered
16 each Orange, segments
8 each Cherry Tomato, cut in halves
1.5 each Bibb Lettuce, whole heads with the core removed and leaves washed
6 oz Basil and Cashew Dressing
2 oz Ricotta Salata, shaved
tt Pepper tt Salt

Method: Toss lettuce, melon, orange, tomato, and dressing together. Season to taste. Top with shaved ricotta salata.

Basil Cashew Dressing Ingredients:
1/4 cup Roasted Cashews
1/4 cup Basil Leaves, packed
1 1/2 oz Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 tsp Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup mixed melon puree (cantaloupe and watermelon)

Method: Toss the cashews with 1 tsp EVOO, salt and pepper and roast in the oven till golden brown, then cool.Combine the lemon juice, basil, and cashews in a food processor and drizzle in the EVOO. The mixture should resemble a chunky pesto. Combine the above mixture with the melon puree. Baba au Rhum Baba with Cream.

Ingredients:
1 slice NY Style Cheesecake
5 scoops Strawberry Ice Cream
2 ounces Crushed Graham Cracker
1 spray of Whipped Cream
1 ounce Strawberry Syrup

Directions: Place cheesecake and ice cream into blender and blend. Mix in crushed graham crackers into the shake in the blender. Drizzle strawberry syrup around inside of the shake cup. Pour/scoop the shake mixture into shake cup. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with graham cracker dust. Place large spoon and straw into shake.

Serves 4

For the marinade:
¼ cup honey
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon red chili flakes
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

For the chops:
8 thin-cut pork chops Kosher salt and black pepper

Directions:
1. Marinate. Place all marinade ingredients in a plastic bag along with pork chops and rest on the counter for 1 hour.
2. Grill and serve. Heat grill or grill pan to high. Remove pork chops from bag and lightly season with salt and pepper. Place on the grill and cook until pork chop releases from the grill, about 3 minutes, then flip and cook on the other side for another 3 minutes. If using a grill pan, be sure to do in batches so you don't steam the chops, but grill them.

Serves: 1 cocktail

Ingredients:
1 pound bag freshly frozen pitted Rainier and Bing cherries
2 cups crushed ice, plus extra to serve
½ cup packed fresh mint leaves
¾ cup fresh lime juice (about 3 limes)
1½ cup white rum
¾ cup mint and lime Simple Syrup, recipe follows
Lime wedges and fresh cherries, for garnish
1 cups sugar
1 cup water
3 limes, zested
5 sprigs mint

Instructions:
1. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, water, mint and lime zest over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the syrup to cool for 20 minutes. Strain before using.
2. Place the frozen cherries, crushed ice, mint leaves, lime juice, rum, and simple syrup in a blender. Blend until smooth.
3. Pour the mixture into chilled glasses. Garnish with lime wheel, fresh cherries, and lightly tapped mint top.

Served with roasted pepper & artichoke panzanella, basil burratta
Serves 4

Steak:
4 ea. 8 oz. skirt steaks outer peeled & cleaned
4 tsp. kosher salt
4 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. coriander
½ tsp. turmeric
½ tsp. ground red pepper flakes

Mix spices then press spice rub into steaks and grill over medium-high heat until desired doneness.

Basil Burratta
4 ea. 1oz. balls of burratta 
2 cups basil leaves
½ cup evoo
1-2 garlic cloves
2 tbsp. romano cheese
Salt and Pepper TT

Reserve burratta balls for plating. Blend basil, garlic & evoo in food processor until almost smooth the add in 2 tbsp. grated parmesan romano and season.

Panzanella:
Croutons: 4 cups crusty Italian bread, cut into ½ inch cubes 2 tbsps. evoo 2 cloves garlic, minced

Dressing: ¼ cup evoo
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. dijon mustard
Salt and pepper

Salad:
8 baby artichokes, cleaned, halved and roasted
¼ cup oil cured black olives, halved
¼ cup roasted peppers, julienne
¼ cup diced English cucumbers, peeled & seeded
¼ diced heirloom tomatoes, mixed colors
¼ minced red onion
8 basil leaves, chiffonade
2 tbsp. fresh shaved parmesan
Italian Parsley Sprigs for garnish
Salt &pepper

For the croutons: Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Toss diced bread with evoo & minced garlic and arrange on a baking sheet. Put the pan in the oven to slightly crisp the bread without toasting it too crunchy, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove and allow to cool. For the dressing: In a small jar, shake together the olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. For the salad: In a large bowl, combine vegetables & toasted bread. Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients, tossing gently. Add the sliced basil and parmesan shavings and toss again. Season again if necessary.

Plating: Arrange salad on plate, slice steak and plate atop panzanella, place burratta and drizzled with basil pesto, garnish with Italian parsley springs.

Makes 36 muffin size cakes

Ingredients:
3 cups semolina flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups sugar
1 ½ cups unsalted butter, softened
2 ½ cups buttermilk
1 ½ Tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
Zest of 6 lemons (reserve the remaining lime for the syrup)
¼ cup chopped rosemary
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 recipe of the syrup, whipped cream and macerated strawberries (below)

Directions: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 36 muffin tins. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine the semolina, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, zest, and salt in a bowl. Whisk together gently to combine. Slowly whisk in the buttermilk until well combined. Add the butter and then whisk again until incorporated and smooth. Set aside and let rest in the bowl for 15 minutes. Fill the prepared tins with the cake mix. Tap to let out any air bubbles and even the tray. Place in the center rack of the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Rotate the pans so that the cakes cook evenly and then bake an additional 10-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out dry. Remove from the oven and slide a small, thin knife around the perimeter of each cake to separate from the pan and make an easy job of removing the cakes later. Leave the cakes in the pan to cool. Set aside. While the cakes are baking, make the syrup.

Lemon Syrup The 6 reserved lemons (from recipe above) 5 cups water 3 cups granulated sugar ½ cup chopped rosemary 1 teaspoon kosher salt Squeeze out all the juice from the lemons and place it, and the squeezed lemon halves, peel and all, into a medium saucepot. Add the water, sugar and salt and stir to dissolve the sugar. Cook over medium-high heat until the mixture boils (approximately 5 minutes) and then reduce heat slightly to medium. Cook an additional 10 minutes on a slow boil. The mixture will thicken slightly. Remove from heat and set aside. While still warm, ladle ¼ cup of syrup over each cake. Wait for the cakes to absorb and then ladle an additional ¼ cup of syrup. Set aside to cool. The cakes will keep like this, unrefrigerated for up to 2 days. When ready to serve, remove each cake from its tin and top with a spoonful of lemon syrup, some whipped cream, and fresh berries.

Whipped Cream
1 ½ cups heavy cream
1 ½ Tablespoons powdered sugar
Zest of 2 lemons (1 packed Tablespoon)
Whisk together until light and fluffy.

Macerated Strawberries
6 baskets strawberries, washed and quartered into wedges
3 Tbl granulated sugar Toss together until the strawberries are well coated in the sugar. Let sit, refrigerated, until ready to serve.

Serves 4
Ingredients:
8 ounces chicken breasts (cut into ½” wide strips)
8 ounces applewood smoked bacon
3 ounces pineapple wedges
1 jar good quality BBQ sauce
Wooden BBQ skewers

Directions: Bring 2 cups of water to a boil and pour into a shallow baking dish containing the wooden skewers. Allow the skewers to sit in the water for 30 minutes. It is important to do this so the skewers do not dry out and catch fire while you are cooking the meat. Pre heat the grill so that it is nice and hot, about 400 degrees. These can also be baked, on a baking sheet, in a 400 degree oven. Place a chicken strip on the skewer, making sure that it is firmly attached to the skewer. Tightly wrap a piece of the bacon around the chicken and attach the end of the bacon strip to the skewer to hold it in place. Put a wedge of pineapple on to the end of the skewer. Generously spread the BBQ sauce on top of the skewers and grill for 10-12 minutes or until the bacon is crisp and the chicken is cooked through. If baking in the oven, bake for 15-20 minutes, until the bacon is crisp and the chicken is cooked through. Place the skewers on to a platter. Serve hot.

Serves 8 | Hands-on 25 min. | Total 1 hr., 25 min., plus 6 hr. for freezing

Ingredients:
14 graham crackers
¼ cup sugar
1⁄4 tsp. table salt
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and still warm
2 (14-oz. cans) sweetened condensed milk
1⁄2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1⁄2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp. lemon zest
1 Tbsp. lime zest
8 egg yolks
Garnishes: lemon and lime zest

Procedure:
1. Preheat oven to 325°. Break the graham crackers into small pieces, and place in bowl of a food processor; add sugar and salt. Pulse 8 times, or until the cracker crumbs are semi-fine and the crackers and sugar are combined. Pour in the butter and pulse until the butter is blended in and the mixture holds its shape when you squeeze it (about 12 [1-second] pulses). Press on bottom and two-thirds up sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.
2. Whisk together condensed milk, lemon juice, and lime juice; set aside. Whisk together lemon zest, lime zest, and egg yolks in a medium bowl until pale, 30 to 60 seconds. Whisk condensed milk mixture into egg mixture until combined.
3. Place the springform pan on a rimmed baking sheet, and pour the egg mixture into the crust. Carefully transfer the baking sheet to the oven. Bake at 325° about 25 minutes or until the center is almost set. Remove from oven, and place on a wire rack. Cool for 1 hour. Loosely cover with plastic wrap, making sure plastic wrap does not touch the top of the pie. Freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight. *When zesting citrus, always do it over the ingredients you’re adding it to so that the recipe can retain the essential oils and fragrance elements that are released in the process.